Dear Editor,Introduction of gibberellin(GA)-insensitive Reduced height(Rht)genes,Rht-B1b and Rht-D1b,has resulted in the“Green Revolution”in modern wheat cultivars(Triticum aestivum)that has skyrocketed wheat grain ...Dear Editor,Introduction of gibberellin(GA)-insensitive Reduced height(Rht)genes,Rht-B1b and Rht-D1b,has resulted in the“Green Revolution”in modern wheat cultivars(Triticum aestivum)that has skyrocketed wheat grain yields worldwide since the 1960s(Peng et al.,1999;Velde et al.,2021).However,Rht-B1b/D1b also reduce coleoptiles,which is undesired in dryland regions where deep planting is essential for seedling establishment(Rebetzke et al.,1999,Rebetzke et al.,2001;Ellis et al.,2004).展开更多
OBJECTIVE:To examine the clinical efficacy of Jiawei Shenfu decoction on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-cα) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-KB) levels in patients who have chronic heart failure with syndromes of def...OBJECTIVE:To examine the clinical efficacy of Jiawei Shenfu decoction on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-cα) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-KB) levels in patients who have chronic heart failure with syndromes of deficiency of heart Yang.METHODS:A total of 63 patients with syndromes of deficiency of heart Yang (chronic heart failure)were enrolled.Patients were randomly divided into the control group and Jiawei Shenfu group.All patients received standard medications for treatment of chronic heart failure.Patients in the Jiawei Shenfu group were additionally provided Jiawei Shenfu decoction one dose daily.Treatments continued for 4 consecutive weeks.The primary endpoint was the change in plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP),NF-KB,and TNF-cα levels during 4 weeks of treatment.RESULTS:At the 4-week follow-up,a significant reduction in BNP levels compared with baseline was observed in both groups,but the Jiawei Shenfu decoction group showed a significantly greater reduction than did the control group.The Jiawei Shenfu group also showed superior performance regarding the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire score,the Chinese medicine syndrome score,heart rate,left ventricular ejection fraction,and 6-min walking distance compared with the control group.The degree of changes in NF-KB and TNF-α levels in the Jiawei Shenfu group was more significant than that in the control group.CONCLUSION:Routine medicine combined with Jiawei Shenfu decoction for patients with heart Yang deficiency syndrome in chronic heart failure can improve the left ventricular ejection fraction and cardiac function,and reduce BNP levels.The mechanism may be related to inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the NF-KB-induced kinase pathway,leading to amelioration of the inflammatory response.展开更多
Type 1 diabetes mellitus is heterogeneous in many facets. The patients suffered from type 1 diabetes present several levels of islet function as well as variable number and type of islet-specific autoantibodies. This ...Type 1 diabetes mellitus is heterogeneous in many facets. The patients suffered from type 1 diabetes present several levels of islet function as well as variable number and type of islet-specific autoantibodies. This study was to investigate prevalence and heterogeneity of the islet autoantibodies and clinical phenotypes of type 1 diabetes mellitus; and also discussed the process of islet failure and its risk factors in Chinese type 1 diabetic patients. A total of 1,291 type 1 diabetic patients were enrolled in this study. Demographic information was collected. Laboratory tests including mixed-meal tolerance test, human leukocyte antigen alleles, hemoglobin A1 c, lipids, thyroid function and islet autoantibodies were conducted. The frequency of islet-specific autoantibody in newly diagnosed T1 DM patients(duration shorter than half year) was 73% in East China. According to binary logistic regressions, autoantibody positivity, longer duration and lower Body Mass Index were the risk factors of islet failure. As the disease developed, autoantibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase declined as well as the other two autoantibodies against zinc transporter 8 and islet antigen 2. The decrease of autoantibodies was positively correlated with aggressive beta cell destruction. Autoantibodies can facilitate the identification of classic T1 DM from other subtypes and predict the progression of islet failure. As there were obvious heterogeneity in autoantibodies and clinical manifestation in different phenotypes of the disease, we should take more factors into consideration when identifying type 1 diabetes mellitus.展开更多
Phosphogypsum has often been used as an effective and environmentally friendly binder for partial replacement of cement,improving the engineering properties of slurries with high water content.However,the influence of...Phosphogypsum has often been used as an effective and environmentally friendly binder for partial replacement of cement,improving the engineering properties of slurries with high water content.However,the influence of phosphogypsum on the physicomechnical properties of stabilized soil subjected to wettingedrying cycles is not well understood to date.In this study,the effect of phosphogypsum on the durability of stabilized soil was studied by conducting a series of laboratory experiments,illustrating the changes in mass loss,pH value and unconfined compressive strength(qu)with wettingdrying cycles.The test results showed that the presence of phosphogypsum significantly restrained the mass loss in the early stage(lower than the 4th cycle),which in turn led to a higher qu of stabilized soil than that without phosphogypsum.After the 4th cycle,a sudden increase in mass loss was observed for stabilized soil with phosphogypsum,resulting in a significant drop in qu to a value lower than those without phosphogypsum at the 6th cycle.In addition,the qu of stabilized soils correlated well with the measured soil pH irrespective of phosphogypsum content for all wettingedrying tests.According to the microstructure observation via scanning electron microscope(SEM)and X-ray diffraction(XRD)tests,the mechanisms relating the sudden loss of qu for the stabilized soils with phosphogypsum after the 4th wetting-drying cycle are summarized as follows:(i)the disappearance of ettringite weakening the cementation bonding effect,(ii)the generation of a larger extent of microcrack,and(iii)a lower pH value,in comparison with the stabilized soil without phosphogypsum.展开更多
For the first time in 2009,the inorganic-organic hybrid perovskite materials were applied in liquid dye-sensitized solar cells.In 2013,the power conversion efficiency successfully reached 15%,followed by great amount ...For the first time in 2009,the inorganic-organic hybrid perovskite materials were applied in liquid dye-sensitized solar cells.In 2013,the power conversion efficiency successfully reached 15%,followed by great amount of research papers bursting out.Till August 2014,the highest efficiency is certified to 17.9%,and the reported efficiency is even up to 19.3%.They quickly go beyond dye-sensitized solar cells and organic solar cells.It is expected the perovskite has its efficiency same to the single-crystal silicon cells.The“game changer”of solar cells is coming.The perovskite solar cells are cheap and easily to be made,which will benefit both science and industry.This review summarized recent development of both perovskite materials and solar cell devices,not only including new material developments of perovskite compositions,structures,and fabrication methods,but also focusing on device structures,charge transfer mechanism and stability properties of perovskite solar cells.Their perspective is also estimated.展开更多
基金This work was supported by the grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grants 91935302 and 31991210)Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory(B21HJ0111).
文摘Dear Editor,Introduction of gibberellin(GA)-insensitive Reduced height(Rht)genes,Rht-B1b and Rht-D1b,has resulted in the“Green Revolution”in modern wheat cultivars(Triticum aestivum)that has skyrocketed wheat grain yields worldwide since the 1960s(Peng et al.,1999;Velde et al.,2021).However,Rht-B1b/D1b also reduce coleoptiles,which is undesired in dryland regions where deep planting is essential for seedling establishment(Rebetzke et al.,1999,Rebetzke et al.,2001;Ellis et al.,2004).
基金Supported by the Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Program of Zhejiang Province(No.2014ZB124)Scientific Research Projects of Shaoxing Science and Technology Bureau(No.2018C30128)
文摘OBJECTIVE:To examine the clinical efficacy of Jiawei Shenfu decoction on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-cα) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-KB) levels in patients who have chronic heart failure with syndromes of deficiency of heart Yang.METHODS:A total of 63 patients with syndromes of deficiency of heart Yang (chronic heart failure)were enrolled.Patients were randomly divided into the control group and Jiawei Shenfu group.All patients received standard medications for treatment of chronic heart failure.Patients in the Jiawei Shenfu group were additionally provided Jiawei Shenfu decoction one dose daily.Treatments continued for 4 consecutive weeks.The primary endpoint was the change in plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP),NF-KB,and TNF-cα levels during 4 weeks of treatment.RESULTS:At the 4-week follow-up,a significant reduction in BNP levels compared with baseline was observed in both groups,but the Jiawei Shenfu decoction group showed a significantly greater reduction than did the control group.The Jiawei Shenfu group also showed superior performance regarding the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire score,the Chinese medicine syndrome score,heart rate,left ventricular ejection fraction,and 6-min walking distance compared with the control group.The degree of changes in NF-KB and TNF-α levels in the Jiawei Shenfu group was more significant than that in the control group.CONCLUSION:Routine medicine combined with Jiawei Shenfu decoction for patients with heart Yang deficiency syndrome in chronic heart failure can improve the left ventricular ejection fraction and cardiac function,and reduce BNP levels.The mechanism may be related to inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the NF-KB-induced kinase pathway,leading to amelioration of the inflammatory response.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81270897,81300668,81370939,81400813,81400808,81530026,81370922)the Jiangsu Provincial Special Program of Medical Science(BL2012026)the Project Funded by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions support this study
文摘Type 1 diabetes mellitus is heterogeneous in many facets. The patients suffered from type 1 diabetes present several levels of islet function as well as variable number and type of islet-specific autoantibodies. This study was to investigate prevalence and heterogeneity of the islet autoantibodies and clinical phenotypes of type 1 diabetes mellitus; and also discussed the process of islet failure and its risk factors in Chinese type 1 diabetic patients. A total of 1,291 type 1 diabetic patients were enrolled in this study. Demographic information was collected. Laboratory tests including mixed-meal tolerance test, human leukocyte antigen alleles, hemoglobin A1 c, lipids, thyroid function and islet autoantibodies were conducted. The frequency of islet-specific autoantibody in newly diagnosed T1 DM patients(duration shorter than half year) was 73% in East China. According to binary logistic regressions, autoantibody positivity, longer duration and lower Body Mass Index were the risk factors of islet failure. As the disease developed, autoantibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase declined as well as the other two autoantibodies against zinc transporter 8 and islet antigen 2. The decrease of autoantibodies was positively correlated with aggressive beta cell destruction. Autoantibodies can facilitate the identification of classic T1 DM from other subtypes and predict the progression of islet failure. As there were obvious heterogeneity in autoantibodies and clinical manifestation in different phenotypes of the disease, we should take more factors into consideration when identifying type 1 diabetes mellitus.
基金This research was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52178328 and 52178361)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Open-end Research Fund of State Key Laboratory for Geomechanics and Deep Underground Engineering(Grant No.SKLGDUEK2114).
文摘Phosphogypsum has often been used as an effective and environmentally friendly binder for partial replacement of cement,improving the engineering properties of slurries with high water content.However,the influence of phosphogypsum on the physicomechnical properties of stabilized soil subjected to wettingedrying cycles is not well understood to date.In this study,the effect of phosphogypsum on the durability of stabilized soil was studied by conducting a series of laboratory experiments,illustrating the changes in mass loss,pH value and unconfined compressive strength(qu)with wettingdrying cycles.The test results showed that the presence of phosphogypsum significantly restrained the mass loss in the early stage(lower than the 4th cycle),which in turn led to a higher qu of stabilized soil than that without phosphogypsum.After the 4th cycle,a sudden increase in mass loss was observed for stabilized soil with phosphogypsum,resulting in a significant drop in qu to a value lower than those without phosphogypsum at the 6th cycle.In addition,the qu of stabilized soils correlated well with the measured soil pH irrespective of phosphogypsum content for all wettingedrying tests.According to the microstructure observation via scanning electron microscope(SEM)and X-ray diffraction(XRD)tests,the mechanisms relating the sudden loss of qu for the stabilized soils with phosphogypsum after the 4th wetting-drying cycle are summarized as follows:(i)the disappearance of ettringite weakening the cementation bonding effect,(ii)the generation of a larger extent of microcrack,and(iii)a lower pH value,in comparison with the stabilized soil without phosphogypsum.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.61177020,11121091)the National Basic Research Program of China(No.2013CB921904).
文摘For the first time in 2009,the inorganic-organic hybrid perovskite materials were applied in liquid dye-sensitized solar cells.In 2013,the power conversion efficiency successfully reached 15%,followed by great amount of research papers bursting out.Till August 2014,the highest efficiency is certified to 17.9%,and the reported efficiency is even up to 19.3%.They quickly go beyond dye-sensitized solar cells and organic solar cells.It is expected the perovskite has its efficiency same to the single-crystal silicon cells.The“game changer”of solar cells is coming.The perovskite solar cells are cheap and easily to be made,which will benefit both science and industry.This review summarized recent development of both perovskite materials and solar cell devices,not only including new material developments of perovskite compositions,structures,and fabrication methods,but also focusing on device structures,charge transfer mechanism and stability properties of perovskite solar cells.Their perspective is also estimated.
